Page 9 of An Alien for the Future

For a moment, I’m caught between horror and fascination. Do humans possess the ability to detach and regrow their limbs? I know some chitinous species are capable of such feats, but surely not humans. And even if they could, how would possessing a human claw assist me in any way? She means for me to use it to replace the foot I’ve impaled? The logic doesn’t make sense. I would be…a sight. That is sure.

I find myself tilting my head, studying her arm with newfound curiosity. “I… appreciate the offer, but I’m not certain how that would help my current situation. And wouldn’t the loss of a limb be…inconvenient for you?”

Her head snaps back in my direction, and I realize she’d still been looking off in the distance in the direction she’d come from. The frown on her brow disappears in a single instant as she snorts, her eyes widening on me. Have I offended her? Possibly it would have been wiser to thank her for the thought while convincing her there is no need for such a sacrifice.

I open my mouth to do this when, suddenly, the female bursts into laughter.

It’s a warm, rich sound that fills the air around us. Her whole body shakes with it; the large mounds on her chest, even the swell of her thighs.

Gods… My throat goes dry. That heat that sparked within me heightens. I have never seen anything more—

She stops laughing to stare at me open-mouthed and eyes wide. “You thought I was going to…togiveyou my actual hand?”

I blink at her. “Weren’t you?”

This sets off another fit of bubbling laughter.

Heat creeps up my scales, a wave of embarrassment so intense I swear I can feel the color shifting beneath my skin. But I can’t help but be captivated by her laughter. It’s like a melody, swelling up from somewhere deep inside her, a sound so full of life that it makes my chest ache with a longing I don’t understand.

“It’s just an expression,” she finally says, but she’s still laughing, though more subtly than before. “It means I’m going to help you. I won’t be detaching any limbs.” She sobers some more. “That’s not something I’d willfully do.”

“Noted.” I dip my head slightly even as I store away every single bit of this interaction. Her way of saying things is colorful. Like her.

Her gaze falls back to my boot and she crouches, tilting her head as she looks at it. “Not sure if I have anything that can cut through that thing there.” She glances up at me before pointing a digit at my boot. “Looks like it could’ve done some real damage. I don’t suppose you can simply free yourself with a tug?” She pauses. “How long have you been stuck here?”

Oh frakk. She’ll know I’d been creeping about watching her now. “Not…not long.”

“Hmm,” she hums a tone in her throat. “Doubt I can help you off that thing.” Her gaze skips over me. “You’re a big fella. Best to call for help.”

I stiffen. No. Not only will that mean more spectators to this shameful injury, but more beings here will only mean I’ll leave this little bubble sooner. The one where it’s just me and a human female and no one else for leagues—well, except Arnak, but if he listens he’ll stay away.

“Just let me—” She reaches into her flowing garments and takes out a communicator.

“No need.” With a deep grunt, I stand, bracing on my good leg as I pull my other foot upward, dislodging it from the long shard. Frakk. Me. A deep groan of pain threatens, only held back because the female is looking at me. Can’t go wailing like a chit that’s lost its mor now. There’s a beautiful female in my presence. By the gods, whatever you do, Tovan, donotshow weakness.

So I don’t. I keep that grunt of pain at bay, watching as the female’s eyes widen, a mixture of shock and…is that admiration? in their depths. I can’t be sure, but it’s enough to make me stand taller, my chest puffing up a little.

“Holy hell,” she breathes, clawless digits still frozen on her communicator. “You just…pulled yourself off that thing?”

I manage to jerk my chin in affirmation, but frakk, this qeffing hurts. “It seemed…the most efficient solution.” Really, it was a distraction. One that’s working better than I thought it would. Now she doesn’t have a reason to call anyone.

The female shakes her head, one brow lifting while the other descends. She’s giving me a strange look. One I can’t decipher.

“Efficient? You’re bleeding all over the ground, you know that?” Then her brows dive, her gaze falling no doubt to my boot. I don’t even look. I can only remain focused on her. “Lord, forgive me. That looks nasty.”

Is that…concern? Is she worried about me? A stranger to her?

“That’s…a lot of blood.” The female’s brows furrow some more and when she looks up at me this time, I am transported to another realm where the world around us disappears. “A graze shouldn’t do that. Must have taken off quite a bit of flesh.”

A graze? Oh, she has no idea. I glance down at my boot only because staring at her for too long will no doubt spook her. Sure enough, thick dark liquid is seeping through the sole. Now this is going to take a few sols to heal.

“I suppose,” I start, trying to keep my voice light, “I suppose this puts a damper on my plans of winning any ground races today.”

She snorts, a sound I’m beginning to find oddly endearing. “Well, at least your sense of humor’s intact. Can’t say the same for your foot, though.” She takes a step closer. “You need medical attention, Tovan of the line Kamesh. That’s not a scratch you can just walk off.”

Her concern is sending a flow of warmth through me. Maybe it’s the reason I don’t tell her I’ll heal without medical attention. That I’ve had worse injuries than this and survived. Setting thefoot down, I take a step. “It’s not as bad as it looks. I am quite capable—”

My words are cut short as I stumble, my injured foot unable to bear my weight.

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